Ohio University ImPRessions

As technology is evolving, so are the ethics of journalism. Part of the changing technology is the emerging presence and influence of social media. In 140 characters you can enhance or inhibit your professional career – so no pressure.

By having a presence on Twitter you are not only conveying your thoughts, ideas and work, but you’re building a brand that may be an employer’s first impression of you. And what better way to learn what to do, and not do, on Twitter than look at the people who arguably have the most influence on the Twitter community?

Here’s some lessons to take away from some of our favorite A-list celebrities.

Do show your personality. Oftentimes I will like, or dislike, a celebrity based on how funny and relatable I find their tweets. And yes, I do realize this may not be the best course of action.

Take Anna Kendrick for example. I saw her in Twilight and loved her in Pitch Perfect, but I never really thought twice about her until I found her Twitter, after which she instantly became one of my favorite celebrities.

Do promote your work. Promoting your work is important and now with the influence of the Internet, we have more power than ever before to set ourselves apart and promote our work.

Do connect with others. By reaching out to a firm or company before meeting with them, you have a great opportunity to set an amazing first impression. By connecting with others you can also promote collaborations. Jimmy Fallon does this before his show each night.

Don’t get into Twitter feuds. This one’s for you Kanye. Getting into a fight with Jimmy Kimmel on Twitter…probably not the smartest idea. So if you’re having an issue with a friend, colleague or stranger, it might be best to not display your emotions on the Internet for everyone to see. A simple phone call or text message might suffice in this situation.

Don’t drunk tweet. We get it, you partied, maybe drank a little too much. That doesn’t mean you have to turn to Twitter every time you have a crazy night. There are some things that are better left off the Internet, and drunken tweets are one of them.

Don’t tweet only promotional things. When people only tweet promotional things to advance their careers, I get bored. It’s always more fun to follow people who spice up their promotions with some personality or fun anecdote.

-Carolyn Nachman is a junior studying strategic communication. Follow her at @CarolynNachman.